Turkey, Temple Square, and lots of pictures of cute babies

Peter and I have spent our Thanksgivings here in Rexburg.  It was a lot of fun celebrating with just Peter, but seeing as this would be the last Thanksgiving I would have close to my family for quite some time, we thought it would great to spend it with my family.  

We've taken this road a lot so I've made it a habit of taking a picture every time we take it.

Once we landed in Utah, we drove to Christie and Tyler's and spent the day hanging out with them.  August and I had fun hanging out while Peter and Christie put up Christmas lights.

August was pooped!

He is such a cute little sleepyhead!

When they left to spend Thanksgiving with the Thompson clan, we headed back north with my family.

But not without making a stop at the Humane Society to check out some sweet pooches! (I'm a sucker for cute little furry animals.  What can I say?)

Kylie and her little girl, Brynn came along for the fun!

Then we had Thanksgiving with the family!  My mom, my sister, and my sister-in-law, Cambri did a great job getting everything together. I didn't get the memo that we were suppose to bring something for dinner so I did feel like a bit of a slacker.  So, rather than stand around and look like a fool, I took a lot of pictures. (Note: I did take quite a few of Lucy.  She's just so stinking cute!)

My fun family! (minus Thomas, Daniel, and Cassie.  They were missed terribly. And my mom isn't in the shot seeing as she was the photographer)

She loves cuddling with JuJu

I have to give my mom credit for these photos.  Apparently Lucy loves walks with JuJu too!

It was a lot of fun to sit and relax on Thanksgiving with the Visser clan for the first time in three years.  I loved playing with Lil' Mike and Lucy and playing games and watching movies with my siblings (or at least the ones that were there.) and of course, it's always great to celebrate this time of year with Peter.

The next day, we caught up with Chad and Kylie again and headed to Temple Square.  I hadn't been to temple square around the holidays for a long time and seeing as I won't see it very much after we moved, we decided to make a strong effort to make it happen one last time.  Of course, we decide to go the first day the lights come one and of course we had to go on Black Friday, the place was packed!  But it was still fun to explore and dive through the crowds with some good friends. (Along with the many photos of August and Lucy, there are also many photos of the Temple and energetic Brynn in her pink, puffy coat)

The only good one I had of Kylie and Chad is the one with Brynn looking the other way.  Figures.

The next day, we packed our bags, yet again, and headed back to Rexburg, yet again.

I'm sure you've all heard this time and time again, but this season really has revealed to me a lot of what I am grateful for.  It might be more apparent to me all that I am grateful for now because I won't be seeing these sites and these people for a long time.  And I didn't list all the things that I was grateful for before Thanksgiving, so I'll list all the things that I am grateful for now.

I am grateful for my family.

I love my family more than anything in the world and for the past three years, my idea of family has grown.  I am grateful for my parents and my siblings but I am also grateful for my in-laws as well.  I am grateful for the new little members that joined our big family and I am grateful for all our furry members that joined our family (I'm referring to the pets)
I love all of you more than anything in the world!
I am especially grateful for my own little family.  Peter is the love of my life and my best bud.  I am grateful that he has been so patient with me and looks out for me.  I am grateful that he was able to work hard so he could find us a job and be able to provide for us and our future little ones. (When that phase of life comes, I'm not sure, but I can't wait to see him as a daddy!)

I am grateful for my friends.

Starting college, I have had a lot of friends.  Some have stayed, and some went.  I am grateful for the friends that we do have and how they have supported us and loved us despite all our quirks.  I have told some of our friends about where we are living, and I was a bit surprised at first when I heard their reactions.  They were really upset! Not that Peter found a job, but that we were moving so far away.  At first I felt bad, but then I felt flattered that they cared about us so much, that they were actually sad to see us go.  I will miss my friends very much but the beauty of the internet is that they follow you wherever you go!

I am grateful for the Gospel.

I know, nowadays, it's not considered 'cool' or original to put your religion on your list of what you're grateful for.  But I don't care.  I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is hard at times.  I  see how people not of my faith live and I will admit, I wonder what life would be like if I just walked away from this church.  But then I think about where I am at now and how happy I am, and I know that I wouldn't be where I am now if I didn't have the church.

I love this time of year!  I can't wait to celebrate Christmas and New Years and to see our new place in Iowa!